George Sykes (New Zealand politician)

George Robert Sykes (18 November 1867 – 23 March 1957) was a New Zealand Member of Parliament for the Masterton electorate in the North Island.

Sykes in 1928

Member of Parliament
New Zealand Parliament
Years Term Electorate Party
1911–1914 18th Masterton Reform
1914–1919 19th Masterton Reform
1919–1922 20th Masterton Independent
1922–1925 21st Masterton Reform
1925–1928 22nd Masterton Reform
1928–1931 23rd Masterton Reform
1931–1935 24th Masterton Reform

George Sykes represented the Masterton electorate in the New Zealand House of Representatives for 24 years from 1911 to 1935.[1]

Sykes was a member of the Reform Party, but in 1919 successfully stood as an Independent for Masterton,[2][3] whilst some commentators questioned whether the independent Reform candidates in 1919 were not just trying to attract votes from the 'unwary'.[4] In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.[5] He was awarded a Coronation Medal in 1937.[6]

Outside politics

When he left school he was a telegraph messenger and operator, then he became a farmer and breeder of Romney sheep.[7] After his defeat in the 1935 election, he was an organiser for the National Party until he retired in 1942.[8]

Sykes died on 23 March 1957 aged 89y, and was buried in the historic Christ Church in Taita, Hutt Valley. A memorial to him was erected in the Archer Street Cemetery, Masterton on 31 July 1957.[9]

Notes
  1. Wilson 1985, p. 238.
  2. Wood 1996, p. 103.
  3. "G. R. Sykes". Wairarapa Daily Times. 45 (14003). 13 December 1919. p. 4. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  4. "The Battle of the Ballots". NZ Truth (756). 13 December 1919. p. 7. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  5. "Official jubilee medals". Evening Post. CXIX (105). 6 May 1935. p. 4. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  6. Taylor, p. 1030
  7. "Masterton". The Evening Post. XCVIII (142). 13 December 1919. p. 5. Retrieved 30 December 2011.
  8. Obituary in The Evening Post 25 March 1957
  9. "Cemetery Archives Inquiries". Masterton District Council. Retrieved 30 December 2011.

References
  • Wood, G. Anthony, ed. (1996). Ministers and Members: In the New Zealand Parliament. Dunedin: Otago University Press.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Wilson, James Oakley (1985) [First published in 1913]. New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 (4th ed.). Wellington: V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer. OCLC 154283103.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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